Energy Efficiency Key For Homes Wanting Solar Panels

By Phillip Cote

With the concerns many have about what pollution has done to our environment, you are probably looking for ways to leave as little of an impact as possible. If you can not afford to use solar panels to provide energy for your entire home there are still things that you can do. Continue reading this article to learn about inexpensive ways to put the sun's rays to use.

Solar cells are becoming a lot more popular around the world. As the technology advances, cells are becoming far more efficient. They have grids ready made out there that can easily attach to your roof. The biggest drawback, of course, is the high price of purchasing this type of rig.

Find out about tax incentives to help you pay for your solar panels. This takes a lot of research. There are federal incentives for solar energy, and individual states have also gotten into the act to varying degrees. Even some local cities have incentives available for those who choose to power their homes with solar energy. Find out what you are eligible for, so you can get as much help as you can.

The three types of photovoltaic solar panels that are available are mono-crystalline, multi-crystalline and amorphous. Though they are all made of silicon, the difference is in the treatment of silicon and the method used to create the solar cells.

If your solar panel installation has gone smoothly, you'll soon be enjoying a reliable on-site energy source of your very own. Keep track of your panels' performance from month to month and chart exactly how much money you're saving on electricity. If conditions are ideal, you might actually be generating a surplus of energy, and this can often be sold back to the power company! You will see that your power production dips during the colder months. This is not due to lower temperatures (winter sunlight is just as effective as summer sunlight) but to the increased cloud cover common in winter.

You have to find out what permits you need in order to have solar panels on your home. Check with your city or town as to what the laws are regarding alterations to your home.

With any type of construction some areas require certain licenses and permits. You will need to find out if there are any special requirements for the area you live in. Without following the rules in your area, you could get into quite a bit of trouble (even if you did not know about the rule).

Once you know the basics and have continued your research of the solar energy industry, you are going to find the rest of the process will go fairly smoothly. The sooner you install, the more money you're immediately going to start saving. Come out from under the power company, and use clean energy. Protect your wallet and the environment. Remember these helpful tips as you carry out your solar energy plan for your home.

About the Author:

The author of this post would like to invite you to visit his other informative sites about Solar Energy. You can check them out here - DIY Residential Solar Power, Solar Power for Homes.

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Renewable Energy - Is It Too Late?

By Eric Q. Duncan

Renewable energy, what could really be the right definition? As it is the general term for many different unconventional energy sources, it has to be all-encompassing. Gurus tell us that renewable energy is an energy source that we find naturally and to a great degree.

Most renewable energy sources are dependent on nuclear power. This nuclear power comes from the sun. In a huge nuclear reaction, the sun produces energy in the form of light and heat and this reaches the earth as natural sources of energy. The sun is the ultimate source of solar power, wind power, biomass energy and so on. Fossil fuels may be categorized under biomass energy, but are limitedly available and have plenty of disastrous side effects.

The US federal National Renewable Energy Laboratory has a good renewable energy program that researches the latest energy-saving building techniques. Scientists have realized that energy efficiency is the way to go, and this body educates people in this aspect.

They work together with the leading instances of the building industry, foreground endeavors to build using renewable energy and tell producers as well as consumers about what and how they can save money by using this form of energy. NREL also get together with agencies to set guideposts for buildings and other energy consuming gadgets.

Renewable energy use is beneficial for the environment in the polluted world of today. Wind and solar energy are two of the most prominent types of this energy. Biofuels, geothermal energy and wave or tidal power are fast becoming popular, though some of these may potentially harm the natural world.

Can you tell the difference between renewable and alternative energy?

Many people don't know the fine difference between the two. Renewable energy is fundamentally natural; it's the energy we get from the sun, wind or waves. Alternative energy, however, includes both bio fuels and nuclear energy sources which are not really healthy options for us to use.

The infrastructure we have is suited for fossil fuels, even though renewable energy or green energy more cost effective. Our government has not been busy taking any steps to change things and go in for green energy sources. With the present situation worsening every day, we have to get a change really soon.

If we try to find one positive thing about fossil fuels it could be that we can store the energy we get from them, which is more difficult with green energy sources. Solar power, for instance, is less effective in cloudy weather. Calm days there is not very much use of a windmill. This and initial costs to get energy from these unconventional sources are still a bit high, could be a small drawback as compared to traditional earth-killing sources of energy.

About the Author:

Eric Q. Duncan shows "The Secret Trick To Use Energy More Wisely"; a free report about how to save money with green energy and also check his other site about renewable energy

How Electricity Is Made

By Michael Sullivan

Electricity is the backbone of our economy and our everyday lives. Production of energy is therefore very important to maintaining our style of life. Electricity is currently made mainly by the burning of fossil fuels (coal), nuclear fission, and with energy derived from water and wind.

Most forms of power plants produce electricity by turning turbines, which turn magnets to induce electrical currents in wire. There are various ways of making electricity:

Burning fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and petrol. They can be burned to boil water in large furnaces or along heating pipes, and the heated water vapor can be used to drive large turbines. The products of burning are generally very hazardous to the environment. These fuels are also not renewable because they took millions of years to be created in the first place, so we shouldn't be depending on them for much longer - or they will run out.

Moving water. Hydroelectric dams are set up to channel water down into turbines so the falling energy of the water can drive them. Dams can also control and restrict the movement of water bodies which can be beneficial. The only problem is that local ecosystems may be affected.

Over ninety percent of all the alternative energy in the world is hydroelectric.

Wind power. Wind turbines can use propeller-like blades to directly turn a motor which will generate electricity. These wind generators may have to be high up in the air to gather enough wind in some places, but they are very environmentally sound.

Nuclear fission. There is a lot of energy in matter, and some unstable elements, like uranium or plutonium isotopes, can be used to generate a nuclear reaction which is then used to heat water, create vapor and turn turbines.

Solar power. Using the energy of the sun does not require that a turbine be turned. Light energy is converted to electrical energy when a high energy photon transfers its energy to an electron.

About the Author:

Would you care to check out how tobuild wind generators? We are experts at building renewable energy . Check out our site at RenewableEnergyAtHome.Com for easy ways to get your renewable energy project started . Check out how to build wind turbines by visiting our home website right now.

Benefits Of Sustainable Development

By Tommy Linsley

"Every fourth day we are adding one million human beings to our population". After hearing this statement, how you have felt? That's the burden we the human beings are putting on the natural resources of our planet. We have already made many animals extinct and driving rest to the extinction. The unplanned growth has resulted in cutting down of forest, blasting off of mountains, mining of minerals and metals, using up of petroleum resources at a very fast rate and last but not the least, an exponential increase in pollution.

The question is what we are going to leave for our future generations - the barren lands, vehicles but no petrol, factories with no power to run them, mountains of concrete and jungles of sky touching building? Can it be recognized as development? Is this development that can be sustained? We all are aware of the negative answer.

The development that we are pursuing has already taken toll of wild animals, forests and much of our natural resources. The increased pollution has resulted in global warming, ozone layer depletion, rising of water level in seas, melting down of snow at mountains and more recently at North Pole!

The constant erosion of forests has resulted in loss of habitat for the wild animals. No wonders that now and then we hear the incidents of wild cats being found in cities. They are considered dangerous and killed. But the fact is that human population has grown in a disproportionate quantum and has moved closer to the animal habitats.

So what should be the plan of action to preserve the humanity of the earth? The only way is to preserve the ecological balance. We need to protect the wild animals, forests and natural resources. Governments need to plan to cover more areas under the forests. Every individual should make an effort in that direction.

The increased pollution levels are already serious matters of concern. During peak traffic hours, one might see some people wearing pollution masks. This is in contrast to what we felt at mountains. We are responsible for such high levels of pollution in air and in water.

It is time that the ecology is preserved to make the development-sustainable development. Alternative sources of energy have to be used to relieve pressure from the natural resources. Solar power is being used to convert it into solar energy; similarly wind power has been translated into wind energy. Recycling of paper can be a lifeline for trees. Developing renewable sources of energy can help in longevity of natural resources like coal and petrol. Vehicles, using non-conventional energy resources can help in keeping low pollution levels.

With our combined efforts, we still can restore the right balance of ecology. Only with a green earth, we can hope for a sustainable development.

About the Author:

An environmentalist and an internet marketer, Tommy Linsley has come up with new site called SustainGreenPower.com with complete details on alternative energy resources, global warming sustainable development and much more. Visit http://SustainGreenPower.com and get yourself a free copy of the report "Our Planet Is In Danger! The Consequences Revealed

Alternative Energy Sources

Alternative energy sources may be one way we can stay ahead of the rising costs of energy. I don’t see these costs going down anytime soon. Are you tired of paying more every time you turn around? I sure am! What else can we do? One thing I have been doing is exploring how I can use more renewable energy sources and other ways to have a ‘greener’ lifestyle.

It used to be that alternative energy sources for your home such as wind power or solar power were so expensive that the average homeowner couldn’t afford to have them installed. Many people have looked into the cost of solar panels and ran away screaming when they see the cost! Fortunately there are step-by-step instructions available now for the homeowner to convert over to solar or wind power at a fraction of what it used to cost them.

The amount of energy we use in our homes is at an all time high. Some people are very frugal with their energy use, while others don’t seem to care if they waste electricity or gas. I have decided to save myself some money and use more alternative energy sources around my house. From what I’ve learned, it can save me at least 50-80% on my fuel bills. That sounds pretty good to me!

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